Presidential aide meets Golkar leader

Golkar Party deputy chairman Priyo Budi Santoso confirmed Thursday he had received presidential special staff Felix Wanggai, but denied the meeting was part of a political lobby on the Bank Century bailout.

Priyo said Felix visited him at his office at the House of Representatives earlier on Thursday for a discussion on regional autonomy, special autonomy for Aceh and Papua and law enforcement in border areas.

“We only talked a little bit about the current hot topic, which is the Bank Century bailout, but we did not discuss Golkar’s opinion of the case or whether Golkar would change its mind. It was just a casual meeting,” Priyo said, adding that Felix was his junior at the Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta.

Golkar, fellow President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s coalition partner the Prosperous Justice Party, and opposition sides the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the People’s Conscience Party demanded in their conclusion of their inquiry into the bailout a legal process against Vice President Boediono and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati for their role in the controversial policy.

Priyo, also a House of Representatives deputy speaker, said he also asked Felix to remind him to the President during the 45-minute talk.

“The meeting was unscheduled. I wonder why the press noticed it,” he said.

Previously another presidential special staff, Andi Arif, had met with PDI-P secretary-general Pramono Anung and deputy chairwoman Puan Maharani.